Articles
Are my dairy cattle fit for transport?
Table of Contents Importance of fitness for transport Do not transport ambulatory animals with: Cancer eye or blindness in both eyes Fever greater than 103F Drug residues Peritonitis Bone fractures or lameness (4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) Unreduced prolapse Cows calving or high likelihood calving during transport Suspected nervous system symptoms Visible open […]
How can we measure methane emissions from commercial farms?
Table of Contents Introduction Based on their symbiotic relationship with the rumen microorganisms, dairy cows have an extraordinary capacity to transform human-inedible plant materials into energy for maintenance and lactation. However, the sub-product of this rumen fermentation is methane emissions. Overall, we have two main sources of methane emissions in a farm, one is enteric […]
Build Your Foundation on High Fertility
Today, we can form our own pyramid of characteristics for high performing dairy herd reproductive management. During a recap of the 2024 Reproduction Roadshow, Dr. Paul Fricke, Dairy Cattle Reproduction Specialist for UW-Madison and Division of Extension, introduced his building blocks for top reproductive performance and how achieving each step opens more opportunities to use additional reproductive technologies.
▶ Watch: Leveraging digital technologies to improve management decisions in dairy farms
In this episode of Badger Dairy Insight, we hear from Dr. João Dórea, an assistant professor in Precision Agriculture and Data Analytics in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at UW–Madison.
Crowd gates done right: Best practices for cow comfort and welfare
Proper crowd gate functioning benefits both cows and dairy farm workers. For farm managers, effective staff training, regular crowd gate maintenance, and proper management are essential for ensuring successful crowd gate operation. While crowd gates help keep cows near the parlor entrance, it is crucial to avoid misusing them to promote positive animal welfare.
Top strategies to streamline your milking parlor
Ensuring a comfortable and safe parlor environment for both cows and workers, while efficiently using all available resources—including time—is crucial for the dairy business’ profitability. Milking time on a dairy farm is a balancing act between maintaining cleanliness and calmness while moving quickly enough to finish on time and get the cows back to their pens, where they can eat, drink, rest, and produce milk.
Estrategias para optimizar su sala de ordeño
Es crucial para la rentabilidad del negocio lechero, garantizar un entorno cómodo y seguro en la sala de ordeño tanto para las vacas como para los trabajadores, al tiempo que todos los recursos disponibles se utilicen de manera eficiente, incluido el tiempo. El ordeño en una granja lechera es un acto de equilibrio entre mantener la limpieza y la calma, mientras se mueve lo suficientemente rápido como para terminar a tiempo y llevar a las vacas de regreso a sus corrales, donde pueden comer, beber, descansar y producir leche.
▶ Watch: Updating our thinking about corn silage and alternative forages
Jennifer Van Os discusses collaborative work at UW-Madison to identify practical strategies for alleviating heat stress in hutch-housed dairy calves.
FARM 5.0 updates (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management)
The Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care program helps American dairy farms demonstrate their dedication to providing high quality animal care.
Keep Cattle Cool and Comfortable in Summer
The latest long-range forecasts from the National Weather Service show that Wisconsin has a 40% to 50% chance of a hotter-than-normal summer. Long periods of heat stress are more likely to have lasting effects on cattle, including early embryonic loss in heifers and cows, poor semen quality in bulls, and reduced gains in feeder cattle.
Strengthening biosecurity practices on dairy farms
The careful implementation of biosecurity practices is key to protect both people and animals, as well as to ensure a viable and safe food supply for consumers.
Fortaleciendo las prácticas de bioseguridad en granjas lecheras
The careful implementation of biosecurity practices is key to protect both people and animals, as well as to ensure a viable and safe food supply for consumers.
